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BTS Meets Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Before Mexico City Concerts
K-pop group BTS met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum at the National Palace on May 7, 2026, then greeted roughly 50,000 fans from the balcony overlooking Mexico City's Zocalo. The appearance came one day before the first of three sold-out concerts expected to generate more than $100 million for the city.
May 6, 11:50 PM·2m read7 sources
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K-pop supergroup BTS met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum at Mexico City's National Palace on May 7, 2026, before stepping onto the balcony to greet tens of thousands of fans gathered in the adjacent Zocalo square. Roughly 50,000 fans assembled in less than five hours after word of the meeting spread, according to multiple reports.
The group waved to the crowd from the main balcony of the presidential palace following the private meeting with Sheinbaum. The appearance occurred one day before the first of three sold-out concerts scheduled for May 7, 9 and 10 as part of the group's ARIRANG tour.
The concerts are projected to inject more than $100 million into the local economy.
Crowds began forming early in the Zocalo, Mexico City's main plaza, turning the area into a sea of fans ahead of the evening balcony appearance. BTS members stood together on the balcony, acknowledging the crowd below with waves as cheers echoed across the square.
The gathering demonstrated the continued global draw of the South Korean group years after their debut. Local authorities managed the large crowd that converged on short notice without reported incidents.
The three concerts are expected to generate more than $100 million for Mexico City through ticket sales, tourism, hospitality and related spending. All shows sold out rapidly after tickets went on sale. The economic boost comes as the city continues to position itself as a major international entertainment destination.
BTS's visit marks one of the largest such events in recent years for the Zocalo area. " — Forbes, May 2026 The group is scheduled to perform three times at a large venue in the capital before continuing its international tour. No further details about the presidential meeting were released by either side.
Fan videos and photographs circulated quickly on social media, showing the scale of the welcome and the group's brief public appearance from the palace balcony. The event capped a day of high anticipation in the city ahead of the opening concert.
